The Maverick Pride Tales - Chapter 6: Chapter 6

Blake looked from Uzzi to Elissa, his lip curled in a threatening snarl. His posture was stiff, and he looked ready to pounce.
Elissa narrowed her gaze, eying the rude sonovabitch right back as he insolently looked her over. She cringed internally as he took his time, raking his cold brown eyes over her wide hips and ample breasts.
Stopping to stare pointedly where she did not want him looking, Blake smirked and this time she was the one who felt like growling. He was totally creeping her out.
If this was what Shifters were like, maybe she made a mistake coming here with Uncle Uzzi. The old Witch was kind and honest, but this guy was a fucking jerk. She knew jerks. Had dated them in the past.
“Did you not hear me?” Uzzi repeated, and Elissa saw sparks zipping along his fingertips.
“Uzzi, maybe we should just⁠—”
“Listen to the human, old man,” Blake said in a deep, guttural voice.
What the heck? Elissa narrowed her eyes at him. She certainly didn’t want to tuck tail and run. Not now anyway.
“I will leave by order of the Neta, and no one else,” Uzzi stated calmly.
“You sure about that, old man?”
Elissa ground her teeth together, not liking the glint of hostility in Blake’s suddenly orange gaze. She moved slightly in front of Uzzi. Without really understanding why or where she got the courage, Elissa opened her mouth to tell Blake to back the fuck up when another stranger walked into the room.
A resounding growl emanated from the man, though she didn’t see his mouth open. It was coming up from his chest, vibrating through his whole body, and making everyone stand at attention. She glanced at Uzzi, but the elderly Witch merely bowed his head politely, then he straightened and positively beamed at the guy.
“Ah, there you are!”
Oh shit.
Was this the guy Uncle Uzzi had been telling her about? The male was enormous, larger than the first jack-hole they’d met. Taller by only a few inches, but nearly half again as wide.
His head was closely shaved, leaving Elissa to wonder the color and texture. Was it brown or blond? Straight or wavy.? Odd to have such thoughts at a time like this, but all she wanted to do was get closer to him. To put her hand on that massive rumbling chest and soothe whatever had angered him.
Blake had her hackles up, but this guy made her want to turn belly up and pant like a puppy, begging for attention. She shook her head, as if to break the seductive spell that had come over her with his entrance. But there was simply no denying it.
She wanted him, and that was insane. Elissa was hardly promiscuous, and she’d never wanted to bang a guy on sight. But from the moment she spotted him, it was as if a wave of lust had washed over her. There was more to it than that, she acknowledged as she tried to categorize her feelings.
His mere presence was soothing, calming the nerves Blake had frazzled so relentlessly. She felt safe, curious, and very drawn to him even, despite the strange situation.
Hunter Maverick, leader of the Pride, was gorgeous. He had a healthy tan despite the season, leaving her to believe he worked outdoors. Maybe alongside his construction crew, she mused.
Something about a man who worked with his hands really turned her on. His dark eyebrows framed his face in a natural arch over the most electrifying, teal-colored eyes she had ever seen.
That laser like gaze of his flashed to her before going back to the other man, the one she did not like. He seemed pissed.
Oh yes, please.
Elissa had never been a fan of men with overly dominant personalities, and this guy was that. And so much more, she thought, even as heat filled her veins.
He moved silently, confidently, taking up the space between her and the hostile stranger. The guy oozed power. One hundred percent alpha male. A Shifter, definitely, and she wondered how she’d never noticed them before. If they were all like this, people were bound to figure it out.
Besides, a normal human would overdose on the amount of testosterone this guy had in his system. Judging from the look on the other guy’s face, the creep knew it as well.
“Move,” the newcomer said in a voice so deep and growly it did funny things to her insides.
That’s all he said.
One word.
Move.
He had the air of a man who expected to be obeyed. This gorgeous stranger had simply slid into the miniscule space between her and Blake, so close she could feel the heat radiating off him in tempting waves as if he were her own personal furnace. Like he had every right to occupy that space, her space if she were being a brat about it.
And there he stood, facing down the enemy, like he was her own brand spanking new self-appointed protector.
Yes, please.
Surprisingly, Elissa was totally okay with it. Sure, she believed in feminism, but there was no way in hell she was getting between two grown ass men who came with their own sets of claws and fangs.
Not today.
Odd that she should feel so drawn to the man. She didn’t know him from Adam, and like she mentioned before, Elissa hated alpha-holes. On the contrary, her body really seemed into them. In fact, his macho display had a very curious effect on her. Especially her panties.
Thank goodness she was already wet from the rain, or someone might notice. She squirmed slightly, and the man went still. His back was to her, but she swore he closed his eyes and breathed in deep, swaying slightly on his very sturdy looking feet. His very presence made the other man shrink before her eyes.
Move.
The word still reverberated in the air. The command unmistakable. Blake did move. Immediately, in fact. If he was his animal right then, she’d imagined he’d have tucked his tail between his legs. He’d probably run too. Far, far away from the big bad stranger. The image caused her to snort, and she covered her mouth, horrified to have made such a sound.
The man turned to face her, amusement clear on his handsome mien. Intense teal eyes bore into hers as he turned his full attention, and, as a result, all that powerful animal magnetism on Elissa. She licked her lips and stared back.
“Who are you?”
His deep voice held an edge she didn’t recognize, but she liked it. He growled the words more than said them, moving in on her like a predator did his prey. Her stomach tensed and a slow, deep ache began to build inside her.
Holy shit!
Her nipples hardened beneath her damp shirt and bra, and her pussy positively throbbed at the intensity of his stare. She was completely aware of him as a man, and it was the first time in her life she’d ever felt anything so damn hot.
Yes, he exuded authority, but he didn’t frighten her. On the contrary, she was turned on by all that masculinity and his innate sex appeal. He leaned in close, too close. Really, she should’ve moved away, but she was rooted to the spot.
Was he going to kiss her? But no, the stranger turned his head, pressing his nose almost against her as he sniffed the air at the base of her neck. He let out a sort of chuffing noise, his hot breath tickling her exposed skin. Elissa nearly creamed her panties.
His low growl grew louder. She could practically feel the vibrations through her own body. Somehow, he moved in even closer, so close they were a hair away from touching.
Frozen like a deer in headlights, she was aware of her inability to move. But she couldn’t help it. Elissa was powerless to do anything but breathe while his eyes glittered at her. She felt hunted, not in a bad way exactly, but still. Finally, she backed up a step.
Uh oh.
She almost screamed when he followed. Apparently, retreating was a miscalculation on her part. Predators liked to chase. He was definitely a predator. And that would make her the prey.
Gulp.
“Your name?” he asked again.
The big man lifted an impossibly large hand and held a damp lock of hair off her shoulder, pressing it to his nose. He moaned as he sniffed her golden curls, eyes questioning as he hit her with their full intensity once more.
“Why are you wet?”
“Uh, it’s raining,” was her immediate response.
“Name?”
“I’m, uh, my name is-”
A shake of a familiar white head behind him reminded her she was not alone with the mountain of a man.
Sad sigh.
“Back off, Hunter. Give the lady room to breathe,” Uncle Uzzi said, clearly exasperated.
A rounded, and short, body gently pushed its way between them, and Elissa found herself staring at the back of Uncle Uzzi’s thick white hair. He dug a stick of some sort into the man’s chest and shoved him back an inch.
“Hunter, really, you exasperate me,” he said, but the Tiger still didn’t move.
“Bad kitty! We do not paw at ladies!”
“Uzzi? You brought her?” The man asked, seemingly stunned.
“Now, I thought from the tone of your letter you needed this situation resolved as soon as possible, so I headed out to see you almost immediately. I was in the area, anyway.”
“I see,” he said, clearing his throat and moving back an inch.
Was it wrong Elissa wanted to shove Uzzi out of the way to get closer to the stranger?
Probably.
Okay, fine. Definitely wrong.
Bad girl!
“I apologize for my behavior, Mr. Stregovich. My Tiger is pushing harder than ever, but good news. I believe you have brought me the purrfect solution to soothe my beast,” he said, speaking in a low voice.
Elissa still made out the slight tip of his head in her direction from where she was standing behind Uncle Uzzi. The acknowledgement made her giddy to her utmost mortification.
“I can see that. Give us a second, please. Hunter! Shoo,” the older man said, and waved him away.
Hunter did move back. Barely. His eyes never leaving Elissa’s face as he waited for them to converse in private.
“Uncle Uzzi, did you see that? He’s so intense,” she whispered and shivered.
It wasn’t with fear. Not exactly. He was literally the biggest man she had ever seen. Hugely muscled with shoulders wider than a professional wrestler’s. She felt drawn to him, mesmerized even, especially by those sexy as hell eyes.
Yes, he was a stranger. But he was really, really potent up close. And somehow, Elissa knew almost instinctively that he wouldn’t harm her.
Her heart thudded in her chest, and she felt butterflies knocking around in her stomach. She wanted to walk around Uncle Uzzi, to put her arms around the man just to see for herself if he was a good fit. Though, honestly, somehow, she knew he would be.
A purrfect fit.
It was like something inside of her recognized him. Elissa felt light as air and a happy sort of anxiety washed over her. She wanted him. Like now.
Not to mention her knees were knocking from lusting after him so badly. Was this love at first sight? She didn’t even know if she believed in such a thing, but no one else had ever made Elissa feel this way.
I should go.
Her mind agreed with the thought, but her heart screamed no. The silly organ wanted her to stay. To risk it all on the man with teal eyes who chuffed at her and stared so hard it made her panties wet.
“Look, dear,” Uncle Uzzi interrupted her thoughts. “Think a moment, please. Shifters move fast, but if you need time, I will make sure you have it. In fact, if you say the word, we will leave right now. I know a Shifter’s reaction can seem rather extreme if you’re not used to them. I assure you, he will not hurt you, but you can move at your own pace. The decision is yours to stay or not.”
Elissa knew what Uncle Uzzi meant, but her heart skipped a beat, anyway. Besides, the Witch was wrong. Hunter Maverick could hurt her alright.
He could break my heart.
Elissa wasn’t exactly fond of the possibility, but she knew she would regret it if she didn’t at least see this thing through the beginning phase. People fell in love, or lust, at first sight all the time. Why should it be any different because those people turned into Tigers?
“I’ll stay,” she blurted, and the responding chuff coming from the big man made goosebumps pop out all over her.
“You’re sure,” Uncle Uzzi asked, his blue eyes peering into Elissa’s.
“Yes. Will you introduce me? Please,” she added.
Uncle Uzzi squinted at her for a moment. Magical sparks seemed to flit out from his being and circle her instantly, then he blinked, and they were gone. Uzzi squeezed Elissa’s hand and nodded.
“Okay then, my dear.”
Uncle Uzzi turned around and brought Elissa forward with a gentle hand on hers. He offered it to Hunter, who touched her fingertips so lightly she hardly felt him at all. The big man was trembling from head to toe, and Elissa felt as if she were in a trance.
Something was happening right then. Something Magical and wonderful. Hunter stood tall and gorgeous, and so alluring it made her ache to be closer to him.
I’d walk through miles of rain to get to him. Through fire, even, she thought with wonder.
It was like she was being compelled by some unseen force, more powerful than the pull of gravity. The fates, the Universe, the creators of it all had seemed to create this moment, this man, just for her. She was completely in awe of him.
“Hunter Maverick, this is Elissa Phoenix,” Uncle Uzzi smiled.
“If I am not mistaken, she is your fated mate.”
“Elissa,” Hunter said her name, drawing out each syllable as if he was making love to the word alone.
More moisture pooled between her legs. Elissa’s heart thundered inside her chest and her pulse raced as intense need filled her.
“Well now, dear ones, I have to run. Elissa has agreed to stay on a few days to get acquainted. However, you don’t own her, Mr. Maverick. Elissa is free to leave should she choose too. If this is not the right place for her, you will let her go.”
“She will stay,” he growled, his teal eyes never leaving Elissa’s.
“Only if she chooses to,” Uncle Uzzi agreed.
Elissa wished she could find her tongue, but she didn’t seem capable of forming words at the moment. Her blood was pumping furiously in her veins, and breathing was taking up most of her thought process. Her body was reacting in a way she had never felt before.
Of course, she was not all that experienced with men. Not men like this, at any rate. Guys like Little Gianni seemed to be the only ones interested in her back home, but she’d always fantasized about someone who could make her feel like her body was about to explode with need.
Someone just like him.
It was not her fault, exactly. It was all those wonderful paranormal romance books she was always escaping into that gave her these false expectations of men.
Yay for book boyfriends!
But even her secret indulgence had not quite prepared her for the real thing. She could tell he was not the average man. Everything about him screamed he was special. And he was definitely that. Not just a Tiger Shifter, but the Neta of the entire Pride.
Elissa swallowed as a new rush of nerves attacked her. What if she wasn’t good enough for him?